Last minute drama tonight at Harmsworth Park as an injury time
equalizer from Davie Allan means that the teams do it all again next week (Tuesday night 22nd, 7:30pm kick off).
The sides went into tonight's match knowing that the prize that awaited in the
4th round was a home tie against Forfar Athletic.

Academy started well and in the 3rd minute Gary
Weir managed to get a toe-poke on a high ball that was played forward to him
but he couldn't get any power on it and it trundled straight to keeper Alasdair
Adams.

On 20 minutes James Pickles found some space inside the Rose penalty area from a Davie Allan cross and his right foot shot was palmed clear by keeper Adams.

Six minutes later it was Linlithgow that opened the scoring.
A high ball was punted downfield by keeper Adams and headed on Thomas Coyne. Colin Stickland ran onto it and slotted home with a composed finish from
10 yards out.

0 - 1

Academy kept plugging away and Adams was again called into
action to fist away a drive from Richard Macadie close in to his left hand
post.

On 39 minutes referee Don Robertson awarded Academy a
penalty when Gary weir was bundled over with a clumsy challenge in the box. Richard
Macadie wrong-footed keeper Adams and fired the ball into the opposite
corner to square the scores.

1 - 1

On the stroke of half time Thomas Coyne found himself
one-on-one with McCarthy but the Wick stopper pulled off a great save turning
the ball wide for a corner with his feet.

Half Time - Wick Academy 1 - Linlithgow Rose 1

The visitors started the second half with real intent and in
the first piece of action Alan Farquhar blocked a goal-bound attempt off the
line.

Minutes later Linlithgow regained the lead. Coyne fired a shot at goal that
McCarthy palmed wide. It fell to Kevin Kelbie on the left and he buried a low driven left foot shot
back into the opposite corner.

1 - 2

Academy pushed for the equalizer and Anderson just failed to
get something on the ball to turn home a Grant Campbell cross.

Up the other end of the park Linlithgow broke from defence
and McCarthy pulled off a fine save from a Callum Robertson shot to keep
Academy in the tie.

Substitute Ross Allan then ran onto a header from Gary Werir but Adams denied him with a good block.

Linlithgow played some good keep-ball to run down vital
remaining minutes but 2 minutes into injury time Davie Allan scored a precious
equalizer. A high ball was floated into the Rose penalty area which they failed
to clear. It fell to Allan and from close range he smashed the ball off
the underside of the crossbar and it bounced down over the line. Ross Allan followed up with a header to make
sure it found the net but it looked as if it was Davies goal. (Scorer to be confirmed once we see the video footage).

2 - 2

With only seconds remaining referee Robertson blew for full
time and the teams now face a replay next week. The game is scheduled for Tuesday night the 22nd December, 7:30pm kick off.